The Online Magazine for Italian and French Classic Car Enthusiasts
By Wallace Wyss
Photos by Warren Wyss, Dr. Dennis Palladino, Michael Gulette
Here’s my brief report of the 2019 Monterey Car Week, beginning with Wednesday, August 14 and continuing on through Friday August 16. Part 2 will cover Friday through Sunday. [Read more…] about Events at Monterey Car Week
By Willem Oosthoek
The Harrison team brought all three Maseratis to the next event, the Road America 500 miler in September. Each car was practiced and the 450S was fast but considered too much of a handful in a long-distance race. With the new red Birdcage offering even better handling than the Streamliner, it became Jeffords’ preferred car.
Story and photos by Jonathan Sharp
“I have just been watching one of the BBC programs from the Chelsea flower show that we recorded last May,” says my wife. “What’s the name of the rock star chap that has a lot of cars?”
“Do you mean Nick Mason?” I replied.
“Yes, that’s him, and did you know that according to the program, he and his wife, Annette open their garden for charity each year, and they display some of the cars in the garden as well?”
“Oh, that would be worth a visit, I wonder when it opens,” says I.
Story and photos by Sean Smith
Italian car collector Michael Schwartz has been named this year’ Honored Collector, a feature of the The Lime Rock Historics, which will be held Thursday, Aug. 29 – Monday, Sept. 2, 2019. Last year’s Honored Collector was Peter Mullin, who brought several rare Bugattis to Lime Rock. [Read more…] about Lime Rock Historic Festival Honored Collector
By Willem Oosthoek
As we have seen in Part 1 of “A Coke and a smile”, Frank Harrison loved his three Maserati 450Ss, but the new Birdcage was faster. So what does one do? Find out in Part 2 and 3.*
After the Dothan, Alabama, event in October 1959 both Frank Harrison and his driver, Jim Hall, realized that the era of the Maserati 450S as a top feature contender had come to an end.
By Pete Vack
A significant portion of the new book, Ballot, is comprised of chapters by Karl Ludvigsen. In “The Technology of the Ballot Grand Prix Engines,” and probably for the first time in text, he provides a history of the early development of the racing straight eight engines (while acknowledging the importance of William M. Gardner’s Encyclopedia of Eights). [Read more…] about Ballot Discussion Part 2
Story, color photos and model by Aldo Zana
It is quite unusual that a particular model car exhibits so many unique values: the only three-dimensional image of a racing car 1) built in a single unit, 2) raced only once, and 3) then destroyed for good. [Read more…] about 1927 Fiat 806
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Held during the last weekend of July, the 24 Hours of Spa, now in its 71st edition, confirmed its status as the world’s premier endurance race for GT cars with a line-up of no less than 72 entries. [Read more…] about Total 24 Hours Spa 2019
Review by Pete Vack
Photos from the book with permissions, and by Jonathan Sharp
Ballot: A Review, a Discussion, an Enigma
With the publication of Ballot by Daniel Cabart and Gautam Sen, this obscure French marque is now honored with a classic, beautifully luxurious, extraordinarily illustrated, well-documented two-volume set that casts a great deal of light on Ernest Ballot, his company, and his cars. [Read more…] about Ballot Book Review
From the Archives, November 2015
Story and photos by Graham Gauld
[Lead photo: In 1995 the author persuaded Griff Borgeson to come to the Ferrari Club of France private test day at the Mas du Clos circuit.]
I think if you do not have someone to look up to and respect, there is no incentive to improve. When it came to motoring journalism there were a handful of people I respected, and one of the first to become a hero was American writer and historian Griffith Borgeson.
Story and photos by Hugues Vanhoolandt
Citroën is turning 100 this year and, to celebrate this unique occasion, the French manufacturer organized a huge gathering, called the ‘Rassemblement du Siècle’ (or Gathering of the Century), at La Ferté-Vidame, which is situated 125 kilometers west of Paris. The event was held from July 19 to July 21, 2019.
